Refusing power to avoid dissension: It was suggested to Abdullah ibn Umar, the son of Caliph Umar, that everyone would be pleased if he were to stand for the Caliphate. “Will you tell me if even one person opposes me in the east?” Asked Ibn Umar, “Anyone who opposes you will be killed,” he was told, “and what is one death when the betterment of the entire Muslim community is at stake?” “By God,” replied Ibn Umar, “even if you were to give me all the world, I should not like a single Muslim to be killed by a spear whose shaft was wielded by the followers of Muhammad and the tip held by me.” A man came to Ibn Umar and accused him of being the worst of all Muslims. “God knows,” said Ibn Umar, “that I have not shed the blood of Muslims, nor have I divided or weakened them. So why do you accuse me in this way?” The others explained to him that if he wished, no two Muslims would disagree over him, meaning thereby that they wish him to stand for the Caliphate. But Ibn Umar said that he would not like to be Caliph without having everyone’s wholehearted support. (IBN SA‘D TABAQAT) Killing Muslims to gain power is to be abhorred: Abu Areef was one of the vanguard of the Imam Hasan’s 12,000-strong army, which, led by Abu Umar Taha, faced Muawiyah on the battlefield. He recalls how, with their swords still dripping with the blood of the Syrians, they were overcome by fury when Hasan made peace with Muawiyah. “When Hasan came to Kufa, one of our number-a man by the name of Abu Amir Sufyan ibn Layl-went up to him and greeted him as the humiliator of the Muslims. “Do not say that, Abu Amir,” said Hasan. “I have not humiliated the Muslims. I would hate to kill Muslims in order to gain power, and I have simply lived up to that principle.” (AL-BIDAYAH WA AL-NIHAYAH) Man’s greatest struggle is with his own desires is bigger Jihad: According to Jabir, when the Muslims returned from an expedition, the Prophet (pbuh) said to them: “You have returned from a minor struggle (Jihad) to a major one.” They asked him what that major struggle was. “The struggle engaged in by a servant of God to control his own desires,” replied the Prophet (pbuh). (JAMI‘ AL-ULUM WA AL-HIKAM)
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 17:37:26 +0000
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